Resources for Florida Master Naturalists: Trees

Florida's wetlands tree species are specially adapted to live in such a fluctuating environment. Special physiological and morphological adaptations allow these species to survive. The species composition and different kinds of wetlands are determined by a number of environmental factors including hydro-period, nutrient inputs, and fire.

Cypress

Pondcypress (Taxodium distichum var. distichum)
Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum var. nutans)

Bay

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
Swamp Bay (Persea palustris)

Tupelo

Swamp tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora)
Water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica)

Adaptations

butressed trunks - for additional support and stabilization
pneumataphores - increased respiration
cypress knees - not fully known (respiration, stabilization)

Breakdown of Florida native tree species found in upland habitats of the Panhandle region:

Hardwood Trees: 20% of state forest habitats

26 Oaks

White Oak Family - rounded margins
Red oak Family - pointed margins

6 Hickories
9 Magnolias

Panhandle: Southern hardwood forest

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
White Oak (Quercus alba)
Florida Yew (Taxus floridana) & Florida Torreya (Torreya taxifolia) - endemic species, endangered
Ashe Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) – state champion tree in Torreya State Park
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Live oak (Quercus virginiana)
Laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia)
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
American Basswood (Tilia americana) - white basswood endemic to panhandle
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Chapman’s rhododendron (Rhododendron minus var. chapmanii) – endangered